Nintendo revealed the Switch 2 as Mario, Luigi, Yoshi, Bowser, Donkey Kong, and many more raced across a new never-before-seen map. While it has not been confirmed, many took this as a sign that Mario Kart 9 will be released alongside Nintendo's next handheld console. Of course, due to how popular the previous game in the series is, there are many expectations for Mario Kart 9.

We already know that the game will feature characters such as Mario and his friends. Based on the short snippets of a trailer shown, we also know that there will be new maps and new kart designs. Unfortunately, everything else is pure speculation, based on the wishes of many Nintendo fans who have been waiting for Mario Kart 9 for a long time. Here are the things that they're really hoping for in the new game.

5 An item shop

So you can buy new karts

Mario Kart 8 features an unlock system that is similar to games such as Super Smash Bros. The more you play the game, the more karts and vehicle accessories you unlock. Well, fans agree that an item shop would be a nice feature to see in the next iteration of the series. While unlocking items through progression is nice, sometimes you want to get something a bit quicker. This is why an item shop is a necessity for some players.

Imagine being able to simply purchase a kart that you have been eyeing instead of needing to beat the game on the hardest difficulty or racing hundreds of times. What currency would you use? Well, Mario Kart already has a built-in currency system: coins. As you race around the track, you collect coins. Instead of just making these coins increase your speed, they could also be used to purchase items from the item shop. This way, players have more of an incentive to grab these pieces of shiny metal as they fly around the track.

4 A wider variety of maps

Bring back those that have been forgotten

There are a lot of maps that have been remade and brought over into Mario Kart 8. Fans are thankful for this, but it goes without saying that fans are eager to see more maps. Not only will it be nice to race on never-before-seen tracks, but it would also be awesome to see the return of some classics that have yet to get the remake treatment. Fans on Reddit have cataloged various maps that have not yet been remade. Some of these include Figure-8 Circuit, Toad's Factory, Choco Island, and Wario Stadium, but the list is pretty long.

Since Mario Kart 9 will most likely be the only Mario Kart title in the next six to eight years, Nintendo should go all-out and re-release every map that was made for Mario Kart 8 as well as bring back many of the classics that have not yet been retouched. Of course, we hope to also see plenty of new maps.

3 Bring in a ranked mode

A proper way to race

Ranked modes are very common in games where players face off. Games such as Call of Duty, Tekken, and many others rely on ranked modes for competitions. Nintendo has even dabbled in ranked matches with Super Smash Bros. Players are expecting Mario Kart 9 to finally have a ranked mode so they can commit to some proper races.

You've almost certainly played a competitive game of Mario Kart against your friends or siblings. The game begs for players to get competitive. It is about time it had a proper ranked mode for tournaments. Players could also receive special rewards for increasing their rank.

2 A new gimmick

What Nintendo is known for

Nintendo would be nothing without its gimmicks. Whether it is Pokémon, The Legend of Zelda, or even Super Mario, there has to be some sort of gimmick. It is surprising that a new Mario Kart game hasn't received one of these gimmicks. Many expect this to change with Mario Kart 9.

Some fans on Reddit claim that Mario Kart 9 needs a new item or super ability gimmick. They specifically talked about bringing back gimmicks from past Mario Kart titles such as Double-Dash, which gave you two racers instead of one. We already know this isn't the case since the trailer showed one racer in each kart, but some have mentioned other gimmicks such as special powers or new items.

1 Bigger races with more players

Finally, 24-player lobbies

Mario Kart has been a game for up to 12 racers for a long time and Mario Kart 8 was no different. No matter what track you choose, you will always be racing against 11 other characters. This is expected to change in Mario Kart 9 and will likely be increased to 24 racers. This has all but been confirmed by Nintendo, as eagle-eyed fans have spotted more starting positions in the Switch 2 trailer.

Pausing the trailer at around the 1:40 mark will reveal an image of the start of the new racetrack. Counting all of the starting positions at the start of the track, you will notice that there are 24 spots. Many expect that this means they will be able to race in 24-player races, making things far more hectic than ever before.

There's much more to come

Nintendo has been very quiet about the Switch 2 and what features it will have. Players don't even know many of the games they can expect to be playing on it at launch. Mario Kart 9, however, is one of the few that many are counting on thanks to what was shown in the trailer. While we don't know what will be in the next game for sure, players already have a lot of expectations they hope are met.